Notre Dame football: Replacing potential 2022 NFL Draft picks

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Oct 30, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Kyle Hamilton (14) watches warm-ups before the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

Notre Dame football: Replacing potential 2022 NFL Draft picks

Kyle Hamilton, Safety

Across the last few seasons, Kyle Hamilton has established himself as the gold standard in terms of the safety position in college football. A rare blend of size, speed, and athleticism, Hamilton is regarded as one of the top-5 prospects in this year’s draft class, and it won’t be long until we hear his name called this April in the first round.

Hamilton likely going in the first round will break a string of two straight NFL Drafts that saw no members of the Notre Dame football team taken on Day 1. Hamilton, who has been mocked as high as No. 3 overall to the Houston Texans, is going to be an elite player at the next level, and many expect him to come in and play at an All-Pro level.

Replacing him was going to be extremely tough, but the Irish struck gold in the transfer portal, adding Brandon Joseph from Northwestern. An All-American with the Wildcats, Joseph may not have as high a ceiling as Hamilton does, but he is going to be a shutdown guy for Notre Dame in 2022, softening the blow of losing such an elite player in Hamilton.

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